Sunday Reflections

This Sunday’s gospel of the Prodigal Son is one of the most memorable we encounter in the teachings of Jesus.  For many it is a parable that speaks of the truth of God’s mercy and love, as they identify with the ‘prodigal’ son.  For some it produces the response “It is not fair!”, as they identify with the ‘good’ son.  However, I invite you to focus today on this (supposed) ‘good’ son.  The father, his heart filled with unconditional love for his son (sound familiar?), can only rejoice that his son has come back to him: disgraced, poor, and ashamed.  The eyes of the brother sees a different reality in his justified anger toward his brother, for his disrespect of their father, his selfishness, and his waste of the inheritance.  I wonder what motivated the ‘good’ son, whether it was fear and hatred or love?  I wonder if he recognized his father’s love as unconditional?  I wonder if he would have ever come home after doing something similar, trusting that his father would embrace him and welcome him back?   Each one of us needs to answer these questions, and I believe that our sincere answer will say a lot about who we are, and whether we really believe in the unconditional love of God, His abundant mercy when we ‘come home’ to Him, and how we forgive and welcome back a sinner.